Busy dizzy

Hi there (if anyone is still reading this) so we have been crazy busy around here with Bryant's therapy starting. I'm in a constant state of thinking about the best ways to improve his speech, how to help him learn that other people are nice and that he shouldn't cry every time he makes eye contact with someone new, and how to encourage him to make friends. It's mentally and emotionally exhausting. I hope that I am doing the right things for him. Anywho, we do manage to sneak away and squeeze some fun in every once in a while. Here are some pics :)

I needed a carmel apple fix the other night. Bryant just wanted the apple (sans carmel).

So weird.

I had to sneak this in. Bryant's teacher sent this to me and he is ACTUALLY sitting and playing with other kids in his class. She said that he has been doing slightly better. wahoo.

Bryant's school was cancelled a day so we went to farm country with my friend Mary and her son Issac. I think Bryant could ride horses all day long.

I love this picture :) Bryant and his cousin Simon in the tub tub.They are so cute.

Here I am learning how to can tomatoes at my parents house. I got the crappy job of blanching them. Nat, of course, was sitting and cutting them up after. She always gets the easy job :)

Well I'm off to another class on how to play with Bryant the "right" way. haha

Also, I'm going to my cabin this weekend. I can't wait. It's my peaceful happy place, I wish I could take you all with me so you could experience it.

Have a good weekend!

Fall in Utah...

It wouldn't be fall in Utah without chopping off my bangs & channeling my inner Zooey deschanel (is that how you spell her name?...... whatever). I even tried out the whole "bun on top of the head" trend. I'm digging it.

(excuse the awkward smiling in this picture).

I made a super duper delicious pasta that was really simple to put together (I HATE cooking). Seriously if you enjoy fresh basil & tomatoes covered in salt/pepper and cheese you will love this. Try it You'll like it (yes that's from Yo Gabba Gabba).

Go Here for the recipe.

My son just bolted out the door. gotta go.......

Pictures...

Life lately according to my phone :)

He's pretty awesome at blowing bubbles these days

We finally have grass in our backyard! wahooo!

While I was upstairs doing laundry Bryant got out the ice cream and a spoon and went to town. This is how I found him. ha. We ended up eating it for lunch. mmmmm.

Caught red handed

Travis gave me such pretty flowers for my anniversary!! They are unfortunately deader than dead now, but they will forever live on my blog.

In other news, while trying to put an antenna for our bedroom tv up in the attic, Travis accidentally stepped through the ceiling. It was a rather large 3 ft hole in our closet, with insulation all over our clothes. Good times. $200 & about 10 loads of laundry later and it's now fixed.

Our life lately is rather humorous.

I'm now waiting for our car to break down or our house to suddenly combust into flames. :)

Anyway, doesn't it feel like fall lately? I love it so much! Bring on the beautiful fall clothes & boots.

Thank you!!

Hi friends. I just wanted to say thank you for all of your encouraging comments, advice and phone calls. I have such amazing friends & family! Thank you Thank you Thank you. It has meant so much to me.

We are doing better around here. I'm still stressed out about getting Bryant into some serious-hard-to-get-into-programs and I'm always worried that I'm not doing enough for him (especially since there is an ever-growing list of things to work on) but hopefully everything will work out the way it should (even if it isn't necessarily the way I want it to). I'm working on being content with what I am capable of doing & letting the rest go.

I keep telling myself that it will all be alright no matter what. It's my new positive thinking effort. ha. :)

My son is so amazingly sweet & loving. I love him so much, and I am so grateful to have him in my life. He is seriously the bomb.com (throw back to junior high right now). What a lucky girl I am to have such a wonderful son & supportive husband in my life. I am very very blessed.

Anyway, Thanks again everyone!!

Ps. I need to redo the colors on my blog. I'm waiting to get hit with inspiration. It will come :)

Autism....

So I'm not sure how to begin. Travis & I have noticed some odd behavior with Bryant (his lack of social skills, anxiety, repetitive obsession with cars, etc.) and decided we should take him to a child psychologist to see what she had to say. The initial assessment is that Bryant has Aspergers with sensory processing disorder. What a whirlwind it has been around here. I have felt so alone, sad, stressed, and worried about Bryant's future to the point of getting no sleep and crying on my closet floor for several days (pretty pathetic I know). It's pretty devastating. I have researched for hours and hours just trying to figure out the best way to go about treating him and giving him the best chance of having a successful happy life.

It costs $1500 to go through the process of getting an official diagnosis for autism, and therapies range from $150-$3,000 a WEEK depending on how much therapy Bryant will need. Isn't that astounding? What is more crazy is that our insurance won't cover any of it. I feel like I'm so scared of what to do and how to pay for this if he needs a lot of therapy. I mean how does anyone begin to pay for this? She said a lot of people skip the official diagnosis and move right on to treatment, because treatment is the same either way, but I have no idea what to do. We are doing Early intervention through the State, but they only meet with him once or twice a month, which doesn't seem like nearly enough time.

I love my little boy so much, and am so afraid that people won't treat him like he is "normal" the second they learn about this. I want him to have friends! I want him to grow up and be able to get married, have kids, and a job. Hopefully with therapy and early intervention it will all be a reality.

Anyway, I have been torn on whether or not to post this, but figured it was probably time for friends to find out about what is going on. Hopefully the next time I post I will have everything figured out and be very optimistic about the future :)

Life Lately...

Bryant is loving this warm weather! We are busy going to the park, the dinosaur museum, eating ridiculous amounts of popsicles or hitting up the children's garden all week long. He even has little tan lines from his sandals (which Travis is very proud of for some reason). We have discovered that Bryant LOVES splashing in water with his new friend Issac, who is the same age and who he adores.

Life is good!

Ps. We just got back from a weekend at my cabin. It was SO MUCH FUN. It's strangely awesome how the girls in my family can analyze reality t.v. shows for hours on end. ha. Thank goodness for the Bachelorette and it's ridiculous drama. :) Go J.P. or Ben!

Also, I need a new header (Bryant is about 12 mths in all of those pictures.). Dearest sister NATALIE, think you want to design me a cool new header with your mad graphic design skills?? think about it.

Happy 4th...

We all have the flu today and Travis has to work tonight (right when the fireworks start). Happy freaking fourth :)

At least Bryant and I got a kick out of watching "the world's largest fireworks" on youtube this morning. haha.

I hope everyone has a great day with family & friends!! (We'll be here hanging out on the toilet).

ps. check out my new anthropology birthday dress. Cute huh? Thanks Mom & dad Barnes :) Yes I know it's crazy blurry, but you get the idea right? good times.